Finished Reading: The Obstacle is The Way

The Obstacle is The Way is the second book written by Ryan Holiday I’ve read so far, the first one was Ego Is the Enemy back in April, and similar to the last one, The Obstacle is The Way does not disappoint.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.

The Obstacle is The Way was published two years before Ego is The Enemy, in 2014, and to put it in practical terms it focus on changing our point of view regarding the problems you face on a daily basis, whether it is something really happening or something you think is happening.

Similar to Ego is The Enemy, The Obstacle is The Way has three big sections: Perception, Action and Will; and each section contains anecdotes from different people, including politicians, businessmen and philosophers.

The fundamental idea in The Obstacle is The Way is Stoicism. The idea of not allowing our fears and obstacles control the way we behave, but instead accept and, more importantly, face them head-on to become a better person.

The Obstacle is The Way includes a quote, not literal, that my mother used to say to me when I was younger:

There is a remedy for everything except death.

That is the ultimate truth.

We should never allow our perception cloud our problems, to make them bigger than they are.